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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22721833">never let me sink, always feel at home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/karadeniz/pseuds/karadeniz'>karadeniz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:07:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,001</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22721833</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/karadeniz/pseuds/karadeniz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She'll despise sharing her power, some had said. He'll get bored and run off, others.<br/>— Eist and Calanthe have every intention to prove them wrong.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Calanthe Fiona Riannon/Eist Tuirseach</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>82</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>never let me sink, always feel at home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>rational brain: work on your uni assignment<br/>monkey brain: BUT IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY</p><p>we can have a little fanfic, as a treat :) happy valentine's everyone 🌹</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In many ways, the people of the Isles reflected the nature of their land. They were coarse in temper and sparse in words. By no means did that mean they were devoid of gossip, though, and often times Eist would mildly chide his men for engaging in such talks. But he had come to appreciate its harmless and humorous nature, because nothing could have prepared him for the vileness he'd found on the mainland.</p><p>As soon as his marriage to the Queen of Cintra became public knowledge, rumors spread.</p><p><em>She'll despise sharing her power</em>, some had whispered.</p><p><em>He'll get bored and run off</em>, others.  </p><p>Love was not a good foundation for a royal marriage, was the consensus amongst most who participated in the talk, for it was fleeting, and easily shaken. One way or another, their tempers would clash, or differences would pull them apart.</p><p>It had come as a surprise for him to realise he was the one more outraged by the suggestions.</p><p>"Why aren't you?" he'd asked Calanthe, taking in the unconcerned expression on her face when he'd told her what he'd heard.  </p><p>The look she gave him in return was a mixture of amusement and condescension.</p><p>"Ask any woman about other people's judgment she's had to endure and she'll write you a novel," Calanthe replied. "Believe me, I've had my fair share. But what are you going to do about it?" She met his eyes in the reflection of her vanity's mirror, and there was a twinkle in them that held as much humor as it did malice, "You can't kill them <em>all.</em>"</p><p>"Well, I'm tempted," he retorted, and she smiled.</p><p>"We'll simply have to prove them wrong, my love. How much time are they giving us before we're supposed to claw each other's eyes out?"</p><p>"Seven years seems to be the general assumption."</p><p>Calanthe rose from her chair and walked over to him, placing a hand on his chest and lightly pushed against it, so that he fell back on the bed with a soft<em> hmph.</em></p><p>His breath caught in his lungs when she straddled him, and she leaned over him, so close that he felt her lips against his ear as she whispered, "Let's make it ten."</p>
<hr/><p>The light of an early morning sun fell through the window, filling the room and basking her skin in a soft golden glow. To think people had ever imagined him growing bored of this. He reached out, gently brushing strands of hair away that had fallen over her face while she slept. <em>Never</em>, he thought to himself. He would never not want to wake up like this. In a warm bed, with the woman he loved next to him, and to the disgruntled sound coming from her at being woken up against her will. He grinned when she swatted his hand away without even opening her eyes.</p><p>"Stop that or I'm gonna kick you out of my bed."</p><p>Her threat would have sounded more serious if her voice hadn't been thick with sleep.  </p><p>"<em>Your </em>bed?" he laughed.</p><p>"Yes, I'm divorcing you for harassing your queen and robbing her of her well-earned sleep."</p><p>"Wow. After all these years that I've dedicated myself to you." He moved in closer to press feather light kisses over her jaw until he came to halt close to her ear where he murmured, "Ten years on this very day."</p><p>He pulled back and saw her finally opening her eyes at that.</p><p>"Ten years, huh?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>He watched the corners of her mouth twitch and with a smile of his own he leaned forward again to kiss her properly this time. He was mildly surprised when she stopped him with a flat hand against his chest to push him back.</p><p>"Well," she sighed, "I think it's time for me to find myself another king then. This one has gotten a little wrinkled."</p><p>A smirk had appeared on her face, and she playfully smoothed out the lines on his forehead with her thumb.</p><p>"Wow," he said again. "Words can hurt you know. And I am shocked," he declared, pushing himself into a sitting position, just for emphasis, "at my queen's implication that she would replace me with another, younger man."</p><p>She rolled onto her stomach then so she could rest her chin on the palm of her hand, and raised her eyebrows at him.</p><p>"Why, I only married you for your good looks."</p><p>"And here I thought you had married me for my ships."</p><p>"No, just the looks." Her eyes twinkled with devilish delight though she managed to keep her voice perfectly even and factual. "I'm as beautiful as ever, of course."</p><p>"Yes, you are."</p><p>Even in banter, as the words left his mouth they were as true as a prayer.</p><p>He didn't stop himself from reaching out, running the tips of his fingers through her hair, brushing it behind her ear. He watched her eyes flutter and shut at the feeling, and he took her in, a face so familiar and loved. No, he would never grow bored of this.</p><p><em>She'll despise him and he'll run. </em>Prophesies, false prophesies.</p><p>He had never tried to tame her, and she had never tried to trap him. Her power was her own, and he traveled when he wished, and they would always find each other again, a faithful push and pull, unfailing as the tides.</p><p>"You've made me very happy, you know?"</p><p>Her eyes opened again, meeting his, and for a moment there was an unguarded softness in them that only her family was privy to.</p><p>She pushed herself up a little so she could reach out to run a finger over his chest, and it left his skin tingling beneath the fabric of his shirt.</p><p>"Why don't you show me how happy."</p><p>"I thought you were cross with me for keeping you from sleep?"</p><p>"Well I am awake now. Better make it worthwhile, and I might keep you around a little bit longer."</p><p>"Another ten years?"</p><p>"We'll see."</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>AND THEN THEY GREW OLD TOGETHER, THE END.<br/>i said it before and i'll say it again: thank you for reading 🌹 by the way and just in case, you are absolutely welcome to send me requests: https://karadenizin.tumblr.com/</p></blockquote></div></div>
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